Three Companies to Back Proposal on Union Bill By KRIS MAHER
Three big retailers are expected to back an alternative proposal next week on a hotly contested bill that would make it easier to unionize workplaces, a move some experts said would bolster the legislation's chance of passage.
Costco Wholesale Corp., Starbucks Corp. and Whole Foods Market Inc. are supporting the alternative proposal, according to someone familiar with the effort. Ray Krupin, a management labor lawyer in Washington said the most likely compromise would allow employees to unionize if 70% of them sign union-authorization cards, as opposed to 50% as currently proposed in the Employee Free Choice Act.
On Saturday, a person close to the discussions denied that the proposal backed by the three companies included a plan to let unions organize workers if 70% sign cards.
It's unclear whether the proposal addresses a thorny section of the bill that would have a government arbitrator draw up a contract if unions and companies can't agree to terms within 120 days.
"We have had conversations with like-minded companies and are open to exploring alternative solutions to the legislation as it is currently written," said Deb Trevino, a spokeswoman for Starbucks.
Libba Letton, a spokeswoman for Whole Foods, said, "We've been having conversations with other companies that have the same outlook that we do. We've been talking to them about finding fair alternatives."
A Costco representative couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
A person close to the companies said the proposal will be fair to all sides.
The bill is organized labor's top legislative priority and has the support of the White House and Democrats in Congress. But it is strongly opposed by most major corporations and industry trade groups.
Julia Wanzco, a spokeswoman for Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, said, "We are aware there is a proposal being shopped around and details will be unveiled early next week." She said no one on the senator's staff had formally met with representatives of the three companies and didn't know details of the proposal.
The anticipated proposal was condemned by some business groups. "These huge companies are selling out hundreds of thousands of small ones under the guise of making some phony and misguided compromise with Big Labor," said Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Committee, which has been campaigning against the bill. "We believe we have this draconian bill defeated outright, so these actions may well lead to the bill's passage."
Stewart Acuff, special assistant to the president of the AFL-CIO, said the labor federation hasn't been involved with any companies in crafting a compromise on the bill. "What we have heard consistently from the business community is that there is no compromise," he said. "We expect to pass it the way it's written now."
President Barack Obama signaled in January that he is open to hearing compromise proposals on the Employee Free Choice Act. White House spokesman Tommy Vietor declined to comment on whether the administration was involved in crafting a middle ground.